Chattanooga, Tenn. – Aug. 25, 2020 – Customers facing financial hardships as a result of COVID-19 have payment programs available to help manage their natural gas bills. Chattanooga Gas is supporting customers with new measures such as an alternative payment program and waived late fees as options to help keep their bills manageable during this challenging time.
“We hope these additional actions help ensure those who are affected by COVID-19 do not face the added hardship of interruption of services during this time when safe and reliable energy is even more critical to our everyday wellbeing,” said Pedro Cherry, president and CEO of Chattanooga Gas. “We continue to stay closely connected to our communities to make sure we are providing all the support we can to move beyond this crisis and provide energy assistance in the most effective ways.”
While the Tennessee Public Utility Commission’s moratorium on utility disconnections for nonpayment ends Aug. 29, the commission has approved a 30-day extension to notify customers of payment programs available to prevent service disconnections once the practice resumes Sept. 28.
Chattanooga Gas encourages customers who need assistance with their bills to inquire about the following programs:
Alternative Payment Program. Customers not current on their bills as of Aug. 29 may elect to participate in the Company’s Alternative Payment Program, which will include extended payment plan durations that lower monthly payments by spreading out costs over time.
Waived Late Fees. For customers choosing to participate in the Alternative Payment Program, Chattanooga Gas will voluntarily waive its late payment fees incurred during the period of the state’s service disconnections suspension, plus the time period the customer has selected to catch up in payments. Adjustments for waived late fees will be made on a subsequent bill. Customers participating in the program and making timely payments will not have their service terminated or put on notice for termination.
For more information or to enroll, go to chattanoogagas.com/myaccount and log in or register using the Guest Payment Arrangements button. Select Payment Options, then Payment Arrangements. Or call us at 866-643-4168 and select option “2,” then “2” again. (Y hablamos español.).
Chattanooga Gas offers other resources that can help customers take control of their energy bills. For bill payment and energy-saving advice, check out: chattanoogagas.com/energyassistance.
In addition to financial assistance measures, as an essential business, Chattanooga Gas crews are continuing operations to ensure delivery of safe, reliable fuel to homes and businesses during the state of emergency order. We are committed to doing our part to keep our customers healthy, and we ask that they join us in our efforts to minimize exposure, too, by practicing social distancing with field workers. Rather than approach them with questions, please contact Chattanooga Gas by phone at 866.643.4168 (Y hablamos español) or email at G2CGCCustomerCare@southernco.com.
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About Chattanooga Gas
Chattanooga Gas is one of four natural gas distribution companies of Southern Company Gas, a wholly owned subsidiary of Southern Company (NYSE: SO). Chattanooga Gas provides retail natural gas sales and transportation services to approximately 68,000 customers in Hamilton and Bradley counties in southeast Tennessee. The Chattanooga Gas service area includes the communities of Chattanooga, Cleveland, Red Bank, East Ridge, Lookout Mountain and Signal Mountain. For more information, please see chattanoogagas.com.
About Southern Company Gas
Southern Company Gas is a wholly owned subsidiary of Atlanta-based Southern Company (NYSE:SO), America’s premier energy company. Southern Company Gas serves approximately 4.3 million natural gas utility customers through its regulated distribution companies in four states and approximately 630,000 retail customers through its companies that market natural gas. Other nonutility businesses include investments in interstate pipelines, asset management for natural gas wholesale customers and ownership and operation of natural gas storage facilities. For more information, visit southerncompanygas.com.
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Media Contact:
Mekka Parish
Mobile: 404-387-8067 | msparish@southernco.com